Your Hampshire and Dorset Wedding - Page number 37 - July/August 2021 (Issue 87)

IS WHERE THE HEART IS ome Jess and Sam’s wedding journey took them from rural Africa to Jess’ family home in the quaint Hampshire village of Wherwell Images courtesy of Anna Rainbow Photography J ess and Sam first met in person at Heathrow Airport at the start of their gap year volunteering in rural Uganda. He had his eye on her from the get go, but she was unimpressed after he cut his foot open after jumping off the roof of a boat on day two of the trip. However, from that ill-fated incident love blossomed. “He needed to get his stitches removed and asked me to go to the town with him a few weeks later. So, I did, thinking there was no way I would turn down a hot meal and a warm shower. Little did I know that Sam and I would talk for hours and hours. It was like rediscovering a best friend who you’d known for years but had lost contact with. It was the strangest feeling. I loved how comfortable I felt with him and how open we could both be with each other. He has the biggest heart and loves an adventure, even if it may be a little risky sometimes!” laughs Jess. “Having met Jess on Facebook before going to Uganda, I thought she was probably pretty cool. Then having the opportunity to spend time together in one of the most amazing countries, doing amazing stuff and eating incredible food, I realised I was wrong. She wasn’t pretty cool, she was far more than that and I knew very quickly that I’d fallen for her,” Sam adds. During a camping trip in July last year, he got down on one knee in the mud and asked Jess to marry him. “The proposal was a complete surprise although I’d been nagging him for ages. I knew it was coming, but had no idea when,” reveals Jess. They tied the knot on 22 nd May 2021 at St Peter and Holy Cross Church in Wherwell, Hampshire where both her mother and granny were married. They celebrated afterwards with a reception in the garden of her granny’s home in the village followed by Sunday lunch the next day. Read on for Jess’ account of their wedding weekend… 37 REAL WEDDINGS